SHENZHEN, China (BN24) — Taylor Townsend, the world’s top-ranked doubles player and a prominent figure in American tennis, has publicly apologized after drawing backlash over comments she made about Chinese cuisine while attending the Billie Jean King Cup finals in Shenzhen.
The 29-year-old sparked criticism after she posted a video to Instagram in which she reacted to food served at a buffet, describing it as “the craziest thing I’ve ever seen.” Referring specifically to dishes that included bullfrogs, Townsend remarked, “These people are literally killing frogs… Aren’t those poisonous? Aren’t those the ones that give you warts and boils and stuff?” She went on to mock the preparation of the dish, saying, “The fact that it’s all stewed up with chillies, peppers, and onions. Like, oh, you really made this a dish.”
Her comments were widely viewed as culturally insensitive and disrespectful, drawing criticism online for perpetuating stereotypes and showing a lack of understanding of local culinary traditions.
In response to the backlash, Townsend issued an apology via social media, expressing regret and acknowledging the privilege of being able to travel and experience diverse cultures as a professional athlete.
“I just wanted to come on here and apologise sincerely from the bottom of my heart,” Townsend said. “I understand that I am so privileged as a professional athlete to be able to travel all around the world and experience cultural differences, which is one of the things I love so much about what I do.”
Townsend emphasized that her comments did not reflect her overall experience in Shenzhen, where she said she had been treated with kindness and respect. “Everyone has been so kind and so gracious, and the things that I said are not representative of that at all,” she added.
The incident follows a separate headline-grabbing moment for Townsend last month, when she was involved in a heated on-court exchange with Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko at the US Open in New York. Townsend won that match in straight sets, 7-5, 6-1.
As of now, Townsend remains in Shenzhen participating in the Billie Jean King Cup, where her focus appears to have shifted back to competition amid the fallout from her comments.
Credit: Sky News
